An updated review on the safety of N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide insect repellent use in children and the efficacy of natural alternatives

N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) has been considered the 'gold standard' for insect repellent use since the 1950s and constitutes most insect repellents on the market. However, conflicting data in the scientific literature and confusing information in the media are at the core of debates about the safety of DEET insect repellents for the protection of children against arthropod bites. The few fatal occurrences involving DEET insect repellents and complications of their use in the pediatric population are typically the result of accidental overdoses or misuse of insect repellents that disregard warnings on product labels. With appropriate application, the safety record of DEET insect repellents continues to be excellent with few side effects. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of the literature on safety outcomes of DEET insect repellent use in children; outline the pediatric recommendations relating to DEET insect repellents; and provide an overview of EPA-approved and naturally derived alternatives to DEET that possess low toxicity while providing a similar level of protection to synthetic insect repellents.

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia and Kimura disease: A case report and literature review

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a benign vascular proliferative condition, typically presenting as subcutaneous nodules in the head and neck region of middle-aged women. Kimura disease (KD) is a benign condition that presents with subcutaneous nodules in a similar distribution with lymphadenopathy and eosinophilia, typically in Asian adult males. These diseases are often discussed together, including whether they exist on a spectrum or if they represent separate disease entities. Both are very rare in the pediatric population; in this report we highlight the case of a 10-year-old Caucasian male presenting with ALHE and KD.

Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome with gingival hyperpigmentation and facial papules

One of the distinctive cutaneous manifestations of Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS), a PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome, is penile pigmented macules. We present a 13-year-old boy with gingival hyperpigmentation along with facial and ear angiofibromas in the context of a BRRS-concordant phenotype and PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome genotype. To our knowledge, these two findings have not been previously reported with BRRS and may expand the known phenotype of this disorder.

Intralesional corticosteroid injections are less painful without local anesthetic: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Corticosteroid injections are a commonly used treatment for dermatologic pathologies. Although the injectable is often prepared with a local anesthetic, we hypothesize that patients receiving an injection with anesthetic will experience no decrease in pain at the time of injection.

METHODS

Patients requiring a corticosteroid injection were prospectively randomized into two cohorts to receive a corticosteroid (triamcinolone acetonide) combined with either lidocaine with epinephrine 1:100 000 (anesthetic) or bacteriostatic normal saline. Both patient and clinician were blinded to the treatment arm. The primary outcome was pain associated with the injection measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) immediately following the injection.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients were enrolled with 18 in the saline group and 13 in the lidocaine with epinephrine group. Pain scores were significantly higher for injections containing lidocaine with epinephrine versus saline (VAS 5.0 vs 2.0, p = .0056).

CONCLUSIONS

For various dermatologic pathologies, corticosteroid injections are effective and have relatively little associated pain. Counterintuitively, we found that there is more injection-associated pain when lidocaine with epinephrine is included with the corticosteroid. Therefore, clinicians should omit this anesthetic or dilute corticosteroids with normal saline, rather than with lidocaine and epinephrine. This will minimize injection pain as well as decrease the risk of pharmacologic adverse reactions from an unnecessary additional medication. Due to the small sample size, additional research may be necessary for generalization to other indications. Clinicaltrials.gov listing: NCT03630198.

In utero development of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita

We report the case of an infant born with perioral vesicles that rapidly spread to involve his mouth and the majority of his body. Histopathology, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunohistochemistry assays confirmed a diagnosis of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). His mother had no history of EBA, and serum indirect immunofluorescence was negative. The patient improved rapidly with local wound care and oral dapsone.

Vulvitis circumscripta plasmacellularis mimicking child abuse

Vulvitis circumscripta plasmacellularis (VCP) is a rare, benign vulvar disorder that is typically described in adult women. Our case occurred in an 8-year-old girl. The primary diagnostic concern was sexual abuse. VCP may also mimic lichen sclerosus, extramammary Paget's disease, pemphigus vulgaris, fixed drug eruption, squamous cell carcinoma, candidiasis, allergic contact dermatitis, and herpes simplex infection. Evaluation should include a biopsy because the histopathologic features of VCP are distinctive.

Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple in an eight-year-old girl

Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple (EAN) is a rare, benign neoplasm of breast lactiferous ducts. Peak incidence is in the fifth decade in women. Clinically, it may be mistaken for Paget's disease and, histologically, for adenocarcinoma. Some authors have proposed an association with breast carcinoma and fibrocystic breast changes. Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple is extremely rare in children. Treatment is usually local excision of the nipple. This is the first formal English language case report of EAN in the pediatric age group. It is important for dermatologists to be familiar with this entity to prevent unwarranted breast removal.

The health status of women following cosmetic surgery

A retrospective study was performed to determine the frequency of new symptoms and diseases after silicone breast implantation. Questionnaires were mailed to 826 women who made up a breast implant group (n = 516) and a control group who had undergone blepharoplasty (n = 124), liposuction (n = 111), or rhinoplasty (n = 75). Responses were obtained from 370 women (45 percent); however, 68 of these patients (18 percent) were considered ineligible. The overall response rate was 59 percent for the breast implant group and 46 percent for controls. The 302 eligible women included patients with silicone breast implants (n = 222) and controls (n = 80). Women with implants were significantly younger than controls, the median age of women with breast implants being 37 years compared with 46.5 years for controls (p < 0.0001). We compared the incidence of 23 symptoms and 4 connective-tissue diseases after cosmetic surgery in the two groups. The symptoms of swollen glands under arms (p < 0.05) and tender glands under arms (p < 0.01) were statistically more frequent in the breast implant group. The symptom change in skin color was more common in the controls (p < 0.001). The Bonferroni correction for multiple (27) endpoints adjusts the 5 and 1 percent significance cutoff points to 0.00185 and 0.00037, respectively, leaving only change of skin color significant at the 5 percent level on the adjusted data. No cases of scleroderma or lupus were found, and the incidence of arthritis was not significantly different between the implant and control groups.

Atypical beta 2-microglobulin amyloidosis following short-term hemodialysis

A 47-year-old white female renal transplant recipient presented complaining of "wrinkles" that predominantly involved the palmar aspect of her fingers. Light-microscopic examination of biopsy material obtained from affected areas revealed deposits of amorphous, hyaline material in the reticular dermis that contrasted sharply with collagen and elastic fibers. Examination by transmission electron microscopy disclosed a mass of fibrils recognizable as amyloid, despite negative histochemical staining with both Congo red and crystal violet. Immunoperoxidase staining for beta 2-microglobulin was positive. Along with an elevated serum beta 2-microglobulin level, this finding supported the diagnosis of hemodialysis-induced amyloidosis (HIA). Unusual features of our case include lesion location, short duration of antecedent hemodialysis therapy, and negative staining for amyloid using conventional staining techniques.

A case of kwashiorkor

Kwashiorkor is part of the spectrum of protein-energy malnutrition. The condition results from a lack of nutritional protein coupled with carbohydrate excess. Protein malnutrition is much more common in the Third World; however, it is also the most common form of nutritional deficiency among hospitalized patients in the United States. Cutaneous clues to the diagnosis of protein deficiency include the "flag sign," hypochromotrichia, alopecia, "crazy pavement" dermatosis, pallor, and glossitis. Systemic manifestations include peripheral edema, liver disease, neurologic changes, diarrhea, weight loss, and hypoalbuminemia. We report here a case of profound kwashiorkor in a nonhospitalized patient who presented with multiple cutaneous and systemic findings indicative of protein malnutrition.

Alkaptonuria and ochronosis: case report and review

Alkaptonuria is a rare genetic disorder in which the enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase is deficient, resulting in the accumulation of homogentisic acid in various bodily tissues. This is a multisystem disorder with a characteristic blue-black discoloration of the skin and cartilage, which is termed ochronosis. Herein we report a profound case of ochronosis secondary to alkaptonuria. Furthermore, we review the clinical manifestations of alkaptonuria and discuss the spectrum of ochronosis, both endogenous and exogenous.

Postanginal sepsis with dysphagia

We have described a 10-year-old girl who had dysphagia followed abruptly by arthritis. Streptococcus pyogenes was identified as the pathogen by fasciotomy with bone biopsy, and a tonsillar fluid collection confirmed the diagnosis of postanginal sepsis. The patient was cured by a 6-week course of parenteral antibiotics.

Cosmetic modalities for aging skin: what to tell patients

Skin changes associated with aging often manifest as cosmetic disabilities. As the population of elderly persons continues to rise, these aging skin changes and patients' dissatisfaction with them will increasingly command the attention of the primary care physician. The cosmetic aging changes and management strategies addressed here include wrinkles, hair changes, common benign neoplasms, dyspigmentation, and telangiectasias. While none of these conditions is a direct threat to the physical well being of the patient, their psychological impact, particularly with regard to self-perception, can be significant and even profound. They therefore merit a response from physicians caring for such patients.